Exercise tip of the month: sleep. Weird? Not at all! Sleep is just as vital
as exercise for pain management as well as management for back
pain. Hollstrom & Associates Inc helps many Largo
pain sufferers manage their spine, neck, and back pain with chiropractic spinal manipulation, nutrition advice, and exercise direction. Sleep – good
sleep – is added to that list for a good reason!
CONTROLLING BACK PAIN
Since low back pain many times is a condition
for life that is intermittent, a condition
that is handled rather than cured, it is a good
thing that researchers are studying just how a back pain
sufferer can take charge of the Largo back pain and how
often it ‘rears its head.' Ask any back
pain sufferer and you’ll know that keeping
the pain away is an objective. But how? Researchers are looking
at sleep, fatigue, emotion, and more to find out. Hollstrom & Associates Inc
introduces the term “flare” as it has to do with
a back pain episode.
BACK PAIN FLARE
A Largo low back pain flare is one that incorporates heightened pain,
paresthesia, or muscle tension, longer duration of symptoms, decreased
functional (social, cognitive, physical), and negative emotions. Researchers
found that back pain sufferers don’t describe their
back pain to be a flare just because of increased pain, so
healthcare professionals need to look past the pain to see
what else is going on around the pain episode, what
psychosocial factors are involved. (1,2) The mind-body connection
can’t always be overlooked! Nor can the time of day
that pain is experienced.
PAIN: MORNING NOON AND NIGHT
Patients dealing with low back pain for more
than 3 months were studied to see what might precipitate a new episode of their pain. Researchers found
that poor sleep quality and morning pain were threats for such
flare-ups. Increased pain risk rose with days of more afternoon and
evening pain, fatigue, and fear of activity. Sleep is suggested
to reduce the intensity, frequency, and risk of back pain flares.
(3) Sleep quality
also plays a part in how Largo back pain is experienced.
SLEEP QUALITY
A study of sleep quality in older
adults in six middle-income countries found that women had
more sleep problems. Additionally, age, depression, low back pain,
and poor self-rated health were also significantly associated with
sleep problems. (4) Sleep, perceived stress, and anxiety contribute to chronic low back pain. Luckily, sleep quality is able to mediate anxiety, making sleep a reasonable
recommendation in the treatment plan. (5)
CONTACT Hollstrom & Associates Inc
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Ted Siciliano on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes
his use of Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction to deliver
relieving treatment for his arm pain and numbness that was keeping
him from getting sleep.
Make your Largo
chiropractic appointment soon. Let’s talk sleep
next time you’re in for a visit!